Armed gunmen held up a group of diners at a Lakeview restaurant Tuesday, July 12.

According to a preliminary report from New Orleans police, the ambush took place shortly before 11 p.m. when two men clad all in black wearing ski masks barged into Lakeview Harbor (911 Harrison Ave., 504-486-4887) at the end of dinner service.

The assailants, who police say were armed with a 9mm handgun and an assault rife, ordered everyone inside the restaurant to lie down on the floor. Police said there were 20 people inside the restaurant at the time and that one victim fled out the door.

One of the gunmen fired a shot, though it was unclear who the gunfire was aimed at, after which the duo fled the scene. No further information was given by authorities, and no one was injured during the incident.

A manager at the restaurant declined to comment on the holdup and said authorities were still conducting interviews.

The incident brings to mind a series of armed robberies at Uptown restaurants and bars last summer where gunmen stormed Patois, Atchafalaya and Monkey Hill Bar in succession in a few weeks. In January, four men were indicted on charges in those incidents.